Presumed Dead
by danceswithhorses
Summary: A misunderstanding. A fight. A plane crash. A funeral... Bella and the Cullens have a massive fight, and Bella books a flight to Jacksonville, saying she needs some space. Then the plane disappears from radar...when the wreckage is found weeks later, the passengers are presumed dead. But the devastated Cullens will never stop searching...not until they're sure Bella is really gone.
1. Mistake

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Review, guys, you know you want to!**

**Bella's POV:  
**

I kicked the side of my desk angrily, not caring if Charlie heard. "He makes me so mad!" I muttered to myself.

I had recently come from the Cullen house, where Edward and I had just finished the latest in a round of arguments. Mostly concerning marriage and my immortality. He refused to back down – and so did I.

Charlie's hesitant voice sounded outside my door. "Bells? Everything all right?"

"Yeah, Dad," I assured him, forcing a normal tone into my voice. He was still afraid I was going to just take off one day. After what had happened last year, _twice, _I didn't really blame him.

"Just checking," he said uncertainly, when I didn't elaborate. "I'm going to Billy's – we're watching the game tonight. I'm leaving for Seattle in the morning."

"Bye," I said.

"Goodbye."

His boots thumped down the stairs, then the front door shut and all was silent.

Still fuming, I threw some clothes in a bag. The entire Cullen family was going hunting for the weekend, and I was staying with Jacob. _That _announcement had instigated a whole new round of shouting. But I'd won.

That thought made me a little smug. Even though I didn't like it when Edward was mad at me, he needed to learn to loosen up a little. They were leaving tonight; I would join Jacob in the morning after Charlie left for Seattle.

I headed downstairs to make myself some supper. Charlie was eating with Billy, so I'd just make myself a sandwich or something.

Still upset about The Argument earlier, I was too preoccupied to notice the beautiful blonde seated at the kitchen table until she spoke. "Bella?"

I shrieked and stumbled backwards as Rosalie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Really, Bella. Enough with the theatrics."  
I fumbled in my pocket and closed my hand around my phone. I knew she hated me, but would she murder me in cold blood? In my own house?  
"W-what are _you _doing here, Rosalie?" I finally managed to stammer out.

"I came to save you a lot of misery," she replied, much to my disbelief. "I came to tell you the truth."

"What do you mean?" I asked, still keeping a safe distance between us.

She studied her hands. "You and Edward argued earlier, right? About him changing you?"

I blushed as I realized the whole house must have heard our heated argument. Stupid vampire hearing.

She took the blush as confirmation and went on. "I don't like you Bella. I've made no secret of the fact. You have a choice, and you're choosing wrong. Not so much as this life, but in choosing him."

"Look, Rosalie," I said, annoyed.

"No," she said. "Let me finish, and then you can decide."

I decided the fastest way to get rid of her would be to hear her out, so I nodded reluctantly.

Her gaze didn't waver from mine. "After you left this afternoon, I overheard Edward and Esme talking in the kitchen. The rest of the family was outside, getting ready to leave tonight. They didn't know I'd come back into the house – they were completely involved in their conversation."

She looked back down at her perfect red nails. "Edward was venting to Esme about you deciding to stay with Jacob this weekend. He…he said some things I don't want to repeat. Esme tried to interrupt him, but he wouldn't let her. he said, and I heard this very clearly, Bella – he said, 'It was a mistake to come back. She's never going to let him go, and I'm never going to change her.'"

I stood there and looked at her. She gazed steadily back, her black eyes open and as sincere as Rose could ever be.

_It was a mistake to come back._

Those words had haunted my nightmares since Italy, since I'd first realized Edward was really, truly back. But the dreams hadn't gone away. All these months later, I was still afraid he would come to his senses and leave again.

And now he'd admitted, out loud, that he'd made a mistake.

"Is this over Jacob?" I asked, my voice sounding pitiful even to me.

Rosalie shook her head slowly. "That contributes to it, but no. I think you know the real issue here, Bella."

Yes. I did know.

She spoke again as she rose fluidly from the chair, the perfect epitome of graceful beauty that I would never be. "I don't like you, but I don't hate you either. And I don't want to see you get hurt more than you already have. Lately I've been thinking it's time somebody told you the truth – now I have. It's up to you to decide what to do with it."

She paused at the door. "I've known Edward a long time, Bella, much longer than you've been alive. I know him. He's the type to commit himself with all he has to every little thing that comes along. Maybe in the beginning he really thought he wanted you for eternity. All that crap about souls? He was delaying you. Asking himself if you were what he wanted. Guess he's made up his mind."

She was gone when I blinked again.

I couldn't catch my breath. A pain reminiscent of the Hole clawed at my chest. I fell sideways as spots clouded my vision, then blackness descended.

The next thing I heard was Esme's panicked voice, calling my name.


	2. Too Little, Too Late

**Bella's POV:**

"Bella?"

I recognized the panicked voice – it was Esme's. _Crap, I wonder what I did to myself this time, _I thought as my eyes fluttered open.

She was crouching on the kitchen floor, and I was half-lying across her lap.

"Did you fall?" Carlisle's voice startled me. His icy hand whispered across my forehead, checking for injury.

Had I?

Alice danced into the room, looking uncharacteristically solemn. She handed Carlisle a glass. "Thank you, Alice," he murmured. "Here, Bella, drink this."

I managed to get nearly half the water down without choking – a major feat for me.

"Alice saw you fall," Esme said quietly. "What happened, Bella?"

She helped me sit up so I was leaning against her hard body. The blood rushed to my head, and for a moment I thought I was going to faint again as Rosalie's harsh words echoed back to me.

Alice must not have seen her coming to me. I wasn't about to clue them in. They wanted to be rid of me? Fine.

"I must have just felt light-headed for a second. I'm fine now." Reluctantly, I accepted Carlisle's help as I pushed myself to a standing position.

"Where are the others?" My words were stiff, like poorly scripted lines. I saw Carlisle and Esme exchange a worried look – they probably thought I'd hit my head or something.

Alice answered. "Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett left earlier than we did – they went south. Jasper and I were going with Carlisle and Esme east. We were just about to leave when I saw you. Jasper's waiting outside – he's really thirsty," she added, almost apologetically.

"Dear, maybe one of us should stay with you," Esme started.

"No!" I said, a little louder than necessary. I didn't want to be around any of them right now. Not after what – I cut the thought off before it could fully form. "I don't need a babysitter." That wound was still raw from our earlier argument.

"Bella, you are not to speak to Esme like that!" Carlisle snapped, and we all looked at him in surprise. I was shocked – Carlisle had never spoken to me like that before. I wasn't sure I'd ever even heard him raise his voice.

His eyes were pitch black – he was terribly thirsty. Had that been enough to shorten his temper?

"Why don't you all just go on and hunt, and we'll talk when you get back," I said, trying to force my voice into an even tone. "I think it would be better for us to have some time away from each other."

Carlisle still looked angry, the purple smudges under his drawn eyes making him look fierce. "Apologize to your mother first, young lady."

I narrowed my eyes. "She's _not _my mother."

Esme's hurt gasp echoed around the room. Alice set the glass of water on the table slowly, the slight _clink _the only noise in the dead silent room.

"I think that it's probably best we go," Alice said quietly. "We'll talk later."

They filed out of my kitchen, leaving me standing there. Part of me was angry and the other part wondered what I'd done.

I was still standing there minutes later when my phone rang. Automatically, I crossed the room and pulled it out of my handbag. "Hello?" I said, without checking the number.

"Hello, love." Edward's smooth voice filled the receiver and fueled my rage.

"Edward," I replied, my voice tight.

"Bella?" he asked, having the nerve to sound confused. Obviously Rosalie was blocking her thoughts from him.

"Why are you calling?"

He sounded bewildered. "Are you still angry?"

"Why would I be angry, Edward?" I ground out sarcastically. "After what you said, you'll be lucky if I ever forgive you!"

A touch of anger crept into his velvet tone. "After what _I _said? You said some pretty nasty things, too," he shot back. "I did give in and allow you to stay with the dog."

"You didn't _let_ me do anything!" I screamed back at him. "I can do what I want, and don't you forget it! It's not like you care anyway."

I hung up on him, slamming the phone down on the table. Moments later, it started ringing again.

I ignored it.

Jacob was due any minute now. I'd called him to come get me early – Charlie wouldn't care, if he even noticed. It was football night, not to mention he had that big trip in Seattle coming up.

I threw my bag next to the door and began rooting around in my purse for my cherry lip gloss.

My fingers curled around an unfamiliar, stiff white envelope. Curious, I pulled it out.

Running my finger under the flap, I opened it and pulled out a single sheet of folded paper.

_Bella, love,_

_I'm watching you sleep while I write this. I'm going to put it in your purse – so there's no telling how long it will be before you find it. But it will be there for you, whenever you do._

_I know sometimes I'm not the easiest person to get along with, and my old-fashioned ways and beliefs are very frustrating to you. Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever stop arguing._

_But I want you to know that sometimes I say things I don't mean. In the heat of anger, words that are hateful and can never be taken back will be said by us both. I want you to understand that no matter what I say when I'm mad, I will always love you. I will always want to patch things up. _

_There are some things we might never agree on. But I think that we're different enough to thrive together. At least we won't get bored. (Haha)_

_On a more serious note, __I know you don't like to remember last winter, when we were apart for so long. The memory hurts me too, Bella. But I can't help but think of that horrible, blasphemous lie I told you in the woods. The lie that we're both still paying the consequences for._

_I feel the need to reassure you of my love. You have me forever, darling, no matter what we might argue about. I'll always love you, and I'll never, ever leave you again._

_All my love,_

_Edward_

I was crying by the time I finished, tears spotting the paper I clutched like a lifeline. Sinking to the floor, I let the paper fall and continued to sob, shoulders shaking with the force of my pain.

The letter was dated three days ago. Was it possible that Rosalie…had lied?

But she'd seemed so sincere, and I thought she'd finally accepted my presence in her family. Not been particularly happy about it, but at least accepted it. Why would she go out of her way to concoct such a vicious lie? She must have known I'd find out the truth eventually…

What if he'd meant it in a different way? It still hurt, but maybe I could bear it.

I don't know how long I sat there, making up excuses for my adoptive family's behavior.

Finally I walked upstairs to my room to wait for Jacob.

The curtain was blowing lightly in the breeze, and I cursed to myself, walking over to shut the window. I must have left it open.

Shivering, I turned around…and screamed.

There was someone sitting on my bed.


	3. A Deeper Hole

**I will most likely update The Cost Of Keeping A Secret and Broken today or tomorrow. Don't worry, this story isn't interfering with them - I have most of it already written. See ya!**

**Bella's POV:**

He stayed where he was, watching me, perfectly still. His pitch black eyes followed my every move, lips pressed tightly together.

"Whatareyoudoinghere?" I shouted, when I could breathe again. "You nearly gave me a freaking heart attack!"

Edward didn't move from his position on the bed. "What do you think I'm doing here, Bella?"

"I'm not ready to speak to you right now," I said coldly, crossing my arms.

"Too bad."

I heard Jacob's truck pull up outside. "Well, I have to go. You can sit there until you petrify for all I care."

I turned towards the door, but he was in front of me, blocking it. He folded his arms, mimicking my stance.

"What is this about, Isabella? This is more than our earlier argument."  
Him calling me Isabella only infuriated me more. "Why don't you ask Rosalie?" I hissed at him. "Better yet, why don't you ask yourself? If you try really hard, I'm sure you'll realize what you did," I added sarcastically.

His arms fell to his side. "What does Rosalie have to do with anything?"  
I stared at him. "Nothing, really, Edward. It all boils down to you and your _decisions." _I spat the word at him.

I heard Jake's footsteps on the stairs. "Bella? What's going on up there?"

Woodenly, Edward stepped out of the way as the door opened. "I thought the leeches were gone for the weekend," Jacob snarled, turning his nose up in disgust.

Edward didn't retaliate, didn't say anything as his eyes dropped to the floor. He appeared to be in deep thought.

"Yeah, well, he was just leaving," I said venomously.

Jacob's eyes flicked back and forth between us, and a slow smile spread across his face. "If I was interrupting your, uh, conversation, I can wait downstairs."

"No, we're done," I said, not bothering to get upset at his glee. "My bag is by the door. Hey, Jacob," I said, stopping him with a hand on his arm. "I might go visit my mom for a few weeks. She'd love to see you. Why don't you come with me?"

Edward's head snapped up, and his dark eyes smoldered. "No," he hissed.

I smirked at him. "How about it, Jake?"

His eyes were nearly popping out of his head with shock. "Um, sure Bella. I'll have to make sure Sue can stay with Dad, but I'd love to meet your mom again."

He grinned at Edward. "See ya, bloodsucker," he said, and pounded down the stairs. I could practically feel delight pouring off of him in ways.

"Figured it out yet?" I asked him nastily.

But he didn't reply to my question. Instead, as his black eyes raised slowly to meet mine, I read something else there.

Guilt.

* * *

I stomped out of my now-empty room and grabbed my phone off the dining room table just as it began a new round of ringing. I looked at the number. Alice.

Feeling a wave of guilt for the horrible way I'd spoken to Esme, I answered it. Jacob honked the horn out in the truck, and I waved at him through the window, giving him the _just a minute _sign.

"Hi."

"Bella, how could you speak to Esme that way?" Alice demanded.

"Look, I'm sorry. Okay?"

"What is _wrong _with you?"

"Um, besides the fact that my boyfriend wishes he'd stayed in South America?"

"That's not true and you know it."

"Do I?" I hissed. "Why don't you ask him?" I had only ever known Edward to look that guilty once. And that hadn't ended well for either of us.

"I don't have to!"

"Mind your own business, Alice," I said, and snapped the phone shut.

As an afterthought, I turned it off before I ran to join Jacob in the truck.

* * *

Jake brought me back late that night, promising to pick me up in the morning as soon as Charlie left for Seattle – and in the meantime he'd hang around in wolf form, keeping an eye out. I told him he didn't have to, but he just snorted before taking off.

_It's so easy to be with him, _I thought as I eased the front door open so as not to wake Charlie.

We hadn't talked about Edward all day, though Jacob was noticeably in a great mood. It was easy to guess the reason.

Why did I have the feeling I was digging myself a deeper hole? As always, Jake's company came with a price.

To my surprise, Charlie was asleep on the couch in front on the TV. I turned it off and shook him awake. "C'mon, Dad, you'll hurt your back sleeping like that."

Half-asleep, he let me help him up the stairs and into his room, where he collapsed on the bed, snoring. Shrugging, I tugged his boots off and left him to it.

I brushed my teeth slowly, rinsing for a long time before reluctantly trudging out of the bathroom. I changed into a pair of ratty pajamas and ran a brush through my hair before crawling underneath the covers.

How had things gone so wrong today? In the space of a few hours my world had fallen apart all over again.

Tears began to run down my cheeks and stain my pillow as I replayed the horrible words I had both spoken and heard. It was rare that I was at odds with everyone in my second family – and now the only ones who _weren't _mad at me were Jasper and Emmett. And they probably were now, if they'd heard about what I'd said.

I cried harder, wrapping my arms around my pillow and pressing my face into it to muffle the sound.

Outside my window, a long, lonely howl split the air. I stiffened, afraid Charlie had awakened, but the sound of his snoring drifted clearly down the hall.

"I'm sorry Jacob," I whispered, "I'm going to end up hurting you too."

I cried myself to sleep, hoping vainly that things would look better in the morning.


	4. You Can Run, But You Can't Forget

**Bella's POV:**

I rolled over in bed, throwing my arm up over my face. "Edward?" I mumbled, before I remembered he wouldn't be here.

Depression came crashing down on me again, as the events of the previous day came flooding back.

Downstairs, Charlie was stirring around in the kitchen, already dressed to leave. "Mornin', Bells."

I mumbled a reply as I pulled out eggs and a pan. Charlie sat down with his cup of coffee and the morning paper as I started breakfast. Nothing was said about how late I'd been out with Jacob the night before – I knew perfectly well that if it had been Edward, Charlie would've been waiting at the door with a shotgun.

But I wasn't going to think about him today.

"So, Dad," I said, putting his plate in front of him. "I was thinking, maybe I could go see Mom for a few weeks now that school's out for the summer?"  
He choked on his eggs.

I slapped him on the back until he finally recovered. "Temporary, Dad, don't panic," I said. "Just a few weeks."

Relief filled his eyes, and he returned to his toast and eggs. "I guess that would be okay. Renee's been after me to send you to Florida for a few weeks. You, uh, you going alone?"  
Normally this would have ticked me off. But as angry as I was with Edward, I jumped at the opening.

"Well, actually, Dad, I was thinking I might take Jacob," I said nonchalantly, and waited for his reaction.

He choked on his eggs again and grabbed for a glass of water.

After he could breathe again, he blinked at me. "You and Edward have a fight or something?" he asked, with a poor attempt at casualness.

I rolled my eyes. "Something like that."

Charlie tried to hide his delight, without much success. "Sure you can take Jacob," he agreed, his satisfaction oozing off him. "I know Renee would be thrilled to see him again. He's a great kid."

"Yeah Dad. Thanks. If I can get tickets, I'll leave Monday morning."

"That's fast," he observed, standing to put his plate in the sink.

"I don't want to wait, Jake has plans for the rest of the summer," I lied smoothly.

"Okay then," he replied, looking way too pleased.

"I'm gonna call Mom," I announced, after Charlie volunteered to do the dishes.

I waded through the phone call with Renee, suffering through ten whole minutes of squealing and questions. Yes, Jake and I were good friends. No, we weren't going out. Yes, I was still going with Edward. No, the Cullens were going on vacation as a family, and he was going with them. See you soon, Mom. Love you, too. Goodbye, Mom.

I sighed with relief before calling Jacob. He had already made arrangements for Billy, and he would be ready to leave bright and early Monday morning.

I got tickets with no problem – we needed to be at the airport in Seattle by six.

Before packing my lightest clothes, I cleaned out my purse – including the letter that Edward had written me. I looked at it for a moment before leaving it on my desk. _There, let him make of that what he will, _I thought grimly.

Dad drove us to Seattle in the cruiser, much to my chagrin and embarrassment. Jacob rode in the back, behind bars – but Charlie didn't get nearly as much pleasure out of that than if it had been a certain boyfriend of mine.

At the airport, Jacob went to make arrangements for our luggage and find a restroom. Charlie handed me my purse and carry-on bag, and we stood there looking at each other awkwardly.

"Well, I'll see you soon, Dad," I said at last, fidgeting with my purse strap. "I'll call you when I get there."

"Bye, Bells," he said, giving me an awkward one-armed hug. "See ya."

I gave him one last wave before going to join Jacob.

When we were finally in the air, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad that's over."

Jacob was glued to the window. "I've never flown before."

I looked over at him. "Really?"

He shook his head. "Never had any reason to."

I smiled. "You just wait until you see Florida. The amount of sunlight will give you culture shock."  
"Might not want to go back," he teased me. "Just think, we could stop in Vegas on our way to Jacksonville. Get married and live on the beach forever."

I laughed a little, my heart sinking because I knew Jacob was only half kidding.

"You know this is just friends, right?" I forced myself to ask, wanting to get that out of the way.

A flash of disappointment darted across his features, but he covered it with a smile. "Sure – I know that. But _you _know that as long as your heart's still beating, I'll be trying to change your mind."

Before that one could get awkward, the redheaded flight attendant came by. "Hi, I'm Stephanie. Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah, I'll take a Coke, thanks," Jake said, and I shook my head no.

"Hey, wait a minute, I know you," I blurted. "Didn't you use to work at the diner?"

She stopped and studied me. "Bella Swan," she exclaimed triumphantly, a smile lighting her face. "Wow, it's been years! How've you been?"

We exchanged small talk for a few minutes, then she had to move on down the aisle. I thought something was off about her smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes, or something.

Jacob resumed staring out the window as the ground got smaller and smaller. I realized he wasn't going to be very good for conversation until the new wore off. Digging my worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice _out of my purse, I allowed Jane Austen to pull me into her world, keeping my mind off of a certain group of vampires who were no doubt _very _unhappy with me.


End file.
